Power-transmitting mechanism



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. P. FRIZELL.

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

No. 581,547. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

Mes Kai flvenoy",

Ja s 67070225 e C (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. P.- PRIZELL. POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

"P" I- I u mm \T\ Wifiw 6445 62 8 1 1 scams PETERS cu wumu-ma wuumorou uc NITED STAT S ATENT FFICE JOSEPH P. FRIZELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581 ,547, dated April27, 1897.

Application filed July 30, 1896. Serial No. 601,082. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. FRIZELL, of Boston, county'of Suffolk, andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inPower-Transmittin g Mechanism,of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to a powertransmitting mechanism and isembodied in a single shaft having two or more independentlyoperateddriving-wheels and means whereby any of said wheels can be independentlystopped and when started can be brought up to speed and the powerthereof applied without affecting the independent operation of the shaftand without any shock or strain.

The object of the invention is to provide such a connection between eachof a number of driving-wheels and a shaft common to all that the latter,although adapted to be driven by any or all of the said wheels, iscapable of rotation independently thereof, so that if it is desirable toshut down the power applied to any one of the driving-wheels theconsequent slowing down and stopping thereof will not affect therotation of the shaft, which will go on independently thereof, and,conversely, when any one of said driving-wheels is idle and power isapplied thereto it can be controlled so as to gradually increase inspeed until it finally reaches a speed equal to that of the shaft, uponwhich it will take up its work without any shock or disturbance, thedevice being preferably so arranged that the relative speeds of thedriven and driving members are within the observation of the attendantwho is manipulating the controlling device through which the force isapplied. To accomplish this, the driving-wheelsffor example, two or morewheels operated by separate motors, as steam-engines, turbinewaterwheels, or electric motorsare mounted on a single shaft, so thatthe said wheels and shaft are normally capable of independent rotation,and the hub of each wheel is provided with a keyextending inwardtherefrom toward the shaft, the said key being yieldingly pressedinward, as by a spring, and the shaft is provided with a grooveextending longitudinally along the same, one side of said grooveterminating in an abrupt shoulder, while the other side slopes graduallyoutward toward the periphery of the shaft. rection of rotation of eachdriving-wheel is such that the key will enter the groove along thesloping side thereof and will bring up against the shoulder, so that asthe shaft and the wheel rotate in the same direction the said shaft willbe positively driven by said wheel when the key is in engagement withthe shoulder.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a portion of a shaft havingdrive-wheels applied thereto in accordance with the invention, therebeing for convenience only two drivewheels shown. Fig. 2 is across-section of a portion of the shaft and one of the drivewheelsconnected thereto. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation of a portion ofthe shaft and one of the wheels, a portion of the latter being brokenaway; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the hub and shaft, showing thekey withdrawn and locked in its withdrawn position.

The drive-wheels A, each of which is herein shown as provided with abeveled gear A meshing with a corresponding beveled gear B on a verticalshaft B, driven by'a suitable motoras,for example, a turbine water-wheelor steam-engineare each mounted on the shaft b, which is adapted to bedriven thereby and which is shown as provided with a pulley if, fromwhich power maybe taken, said shaft 1) being represented as the mainshaft in a shop or factory. Each of said wheels A is provided with a'hub a, having a key a radially movable in a recess a the said keypreferably extending completely across from one side of the hub to theother and being provided with a stem at, having a nut a screwed onto theouter end thereof and adapted to bear against the flattened surface a ofsaid hub. The said key is normally pressed inward toward the center ofthe hub by means of springs a of any suitable construction, the saidsprings being preferably bow-springs, secured at one end by screws orbolts a to the surface of the shoulder a at each end of the said hub,the said springs extending around the hub and engaging at their oppositeends with projections a extending upward from The dithe top of the keythrough the slot 64 which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, extends completelythrough the shoulder portion of the hub. The hub a of each of the saiddrive-wheels forms a bearin g therefor on the shaft 7), which is commonto all, and said hub is capable of rotation independently of said shaft,which is provided with a longitudinal groove Z2 having a long inclinedsurface Z2 and terminating in an abrupt shoulder Z), as shown in Figs. 2and 4. Assuming, therefore, that the wheel A is driven in the directionof the arrow, Fig. 2, and the key a pressed inward by its springs a itis obvious that the said key will reach the position shown in Fig. 2 andengage the shoulder Z9 thus tending to rotate the shaft 1) in the samedirection. If, however, the power applied to any wheel is shut down, theshaft 1), which, as shown in Fig. 1, is also driven by one or moresimilar wheels, each having an independent motor, will continue to berotated independently of the drive-wheel A, the shoulder b travelingaway from the key a which will ride up the incline and around the shaft,dropping over the shoulder at each revolution.

The invention, as has been stated, is es pecially applicable to caseswhere waterpower is used in conjunction with steam, it being obviousthat when the water-supply is somewhat low it is advantageous to employsteam alone, while either the steam-motor or one or more water-motors,all operating on the same shaft, can be independently applied or shutdown at any time. Further than this, it is obviously of advantage inmany itSGS to provide a number of similar motors, any of which can beoperated or shut down to com pensate for variations in load. As soontherefore as it is apparent that the power applied to any one of thedrive-wheels is unnecessary or inefficient the said power can be shutdown, and when the wheel has ceased to tnrn the key a may be withdrawnand maintained withdrawn, as shown in Fig. 4:, by turning up the nut aso that the clickiu g or pounding of the key is prevented. Then when itis desired to again turn on the power the key is released and thedropping thereof over the shoulder at each revolution will be apparentby the clicking sound, so that the attendant as he manipulates thecontrolling device (Z, which is conventionally shown in Fig. 1, isenabled, by observing the clicks, the frequency of which will obviouslydiminish as the motor speeds up, to so control the motor that the powerthereof is at last applied to the shaft without any shock.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to thespecificconstruction herein shown ,nor to any particular application thereof,since it is obvious that the construction shown may readilybe modified,while theinvention may be usefully applied in any case where two or moremotors of any kind are applied toca single shaft if itis desirable touse any motor or group of motors independently of the others.

I claim- 1. The combination with a driven shaft, of two or moreindependent motors therefor, a power-transmitting device connected witheach motor and adapted to cooperate with said shaft, the said shaft andpower-transmitting devices constituting members of clutches orcouplings, and engaging portions of said members adapted to engage andremain in engagement during the movement of one member relative to theother in one direction but not in the other, whereby any motor or groupof motors may be shut down or started up independently of the rest,while the said shaft is being driven, substantially as described.

2. The combination with ashaft provided with a groove on its surfaceterminating in an abrupt shoulder, of two or more independently-operateddriving-wheels mounted on said shaft and capable of rotation thereon, akey mounted in a radial groovein the hub of each of said wheels, springsconnected to said hubs and said keys respectively to produce an inwardmovement of said keys, and means for maintaining said keys out ofengagement with said shoulder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witn esscs.

JOSEPH P. FRIZELL.

\Vitnesses:

ll. J. LIVERMORE, N. P. FORD.

